Misogynist: defining moment in war of words

Tony Abbott
can be called a misogynist because he represents a culture that still fears and hates women in the same way it did when Germaine Greer was writing about it four decades ago, prominent English and women’s studies academic Susan Sheridan says.

The redefinition, first reported in the AFR yesterday, prompted a fierce debate on social media, websites, radio and TV.

Long-time feminist
Eva Cox
said the expanded definition reduced the power of the word.

“Misogyny is clearly about the hatred of women and broadening this weakens the word’s power, particularly in a political debate," Ms Cox said. “Sexism or prejudice is not the same as misogyny, and as a long-time feminist I would say that now that this has happened we as a movement need to do a better job."

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Sydney Institute founder
Gerard Henderson
said it was an overreaction. “They were happy to use it before, so why did they call an extraordinary meeting to change it? Is every word up for grabs now?" Mr Henderson asked.

He referred to comments by Employment and Workplace Relations Minister
Bill Shorten
on Monday night on ABC TV questioning the definition. “I find it amusing and an overreaction – could it be Bill Shorten’s greatest impact on public life – having a word’s definition changed," he quipped.

Former Victorian Labor premier
Joan Kirner
and female business leader Carol Schwartz said Macquarie’s decision to expand its definiton of misogyny was a timely recognition of the change.

“I think the change reflects how society actually sees the word," Ms Kirner said. “I applaud Julia Gillard for using it because if you don’t use it you can’t fight it."

Ms Kirner said she had been targeted by misogynists while she was premier between 1990 and 1992, and was attacked in cartoons and by people who had trouble dealing with women in powerful positions.

Ms Schwartz said the change was “very appropriate" and reflected the language was evolving.

“I think it is very timely," she said. “The PM’s use of the word has caused a national conversation and now we recognise the use of the word is different from its traditional definition."

Ms Cox, Ms Schwartz and Ms Kirner all said they did not believe Mr Abbott was a misogynist but rather that he had a history of behaving badly toward some women, particularly those in power.

Author and feminist
Anne Summers
said she doubted Ms Gillard’s comments would shift the way members of the opposition treated her.

The “misogyny war" of the last week came after many sustained sexist attacks on Ms Gillard since June 2010, Ms Summers told AAP.

Ms Gillard had been the target of “sexist and discriminatory treatment" by “the opposition and by some elements in Australian society", she said.

Mr Abbott did not want to be drawn into the debate over redfining misogyny, saying he’d “leave the personal attacks and the cheap, grubby smears to the Labor Party".

Ms Gillard said in India that she would “leave editing dictionaries to those whose special expertise is language".

Macquarie joins the Oxford Dictionary online and dictionary.com in having a wider definition.

Macquarie Dictionary editor Sue Butler said the definitions of 300 words were changed every year and another 700 new words were added. The latest ones would be in the on-line version this year and the printed edition in late 2013.